The City of Yuma is mourning the loss of retired Fire Chief Phillip Cano.

Cano served as Chief of the Yuma Fire Department from 1957 to 1989. He passed away on February 28, 2023, at the age of 94. According to the Yuma Fire Department, Chief Cano led by example. He was instrumental in the development of the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team, the reserve firefighters' program, and initiated the department's first Certified Emergency Paramedics program. Chief Cano seved a total of 32 years with the Yuma Fire Department.